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Pokemon Crusade

Air Dragon

Ha, ha... not.
Ah, my mistake. The Scyther Jack caught isn't called Blitz... he's called Gash (although only by Static and Jack) And he was captured back in Chapter 14, I believe... during Celadon.

Other than that, my point still stands. :) What on earth happened to him?

L@er!
 

Pkmn Breeder Jack

Static owns you.
Ah, my mistake. The Scyther Jack caught isn't called Blitz... he's called Gash (although only by Static and Jack) And he was captured back in Chapter 14, I believe... during Celadon.

Other than that, my point still stands. :) What on earth happened to him?

L@er!

Ah yes. Well, I've cut him from the story a chapter or two after his introduction, primarily because he didn't fit. I just liked the idea of Jack having a Scyther without developing much of a personality for him or figuring out how he would fit in the story. I believe I made an announcement about removing him a while back, so you might have just missed that. ;)
 

848

ShadowMaster
What an incredible fic! This is an amazing plot and your characters are impeccable. I hope Jack gets over Konpaku and finds Megan. It's to bad you deleted Gash, I really liked him.
 

Pkmn Breeder Jack

Static owns you.
Hello again readers. Sadly, I do not have the final chapter up yet, as vacations, holidays, and other things distracted from my writing over break. Now that university is back in full swing, I can't place a date when chapter 20 will be released. It has been started and it mapped out. All that needs to happen is the finishing of the writing and the editing.

That said, I would like to remind you all that voting for the fanfiction awards have begun, and if you feel Pokemon Crusade is deserving of a title it's been nominated for, your vote would be most appreciated. I'm grateful for all of you fans, and without you I never would have gotten this far. So thank you for the support, and if you have the time, help Crusade win awards for the third year in a row!

Thanks to everyone,


Jack ;466;
 

Indianocean

Legendary trainer
“Here, eat this Cheri Berry. It will cure the paralysis.” Jack pulled the berry from a small pouch clipped to his belt and handed it to Sceadon. The "Charmander" popped the small red fruit into his mouth and chewed, feeling the relief instantly.
.................dude u just said charmander evolved so it should be "charmeleon"
 

Pkmn Breeder Jack

Static owns you.
I do not believe this chapter needs much preamble, so please enjoy. There is an author's note in the following post that will hopefully answer any questions you have for me. Now, I present to you:



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Twenty – Revival
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun sat high in the sky, shining through a few scattered clouds. The wind blew gently, and the smell of salt from the ocean was carried on the breeze. Two young men stood twenty meters apart on the beach, while several other people were congregated on the rocks near the cliff face.

Jack stared at Mike intensely. His fingers tingled slightly as they rested over one of his Poké Balls. His heart was pumping, anticipating the coming battle. Konpaku was suppressed and could only be faintly heard. Jack’s mind was focused on one thing. The battle. All else was pushed to the side. It had been a long while since he had been in this state. Several months actually, since his last simulated battle for school. Since then, he hadn’t been presented with a situation that required this kind of focus.

This was one of the reasons Jack didn’t want to be a professional battler. The focus such competitions called for was so intense that it often made him hard to be around. Everything else was shut out as he committed himself fully to the game. And while this was undesirable for himself, it was Jack’s ability to focus with such intensity, coupled with his extensive knowledge of Pokémon that made Jack such a great battler. However, Jack knew one of the few people who could trump him in both knowledge and focus stood across from him, equally focused on the coming battle.

Mike grinned as he saw the concentration on Jack’s face. It was just like old times when the two of them used to compete for first place in the school tournaments. Mike could feel the adrenaline rush as the battle neared. This was what he lived for. This was his element. This was what he was born to do.

Flint, who had volunteered to be the referee, stepped forward. He raised his right hand in the air and looked at the competitors. “Both trainers ready?” he called.

“Ready!” they both shouted.

Flint threw his hand down and shouted, “Begin!” and quickly retreated to give the trainers space.

Jack’s hand closed over the red and white Poké Ball and he pressed the button in the middle, releasing the red energy inside. Mike did the same, only he threw his Poké Ball out towards the middle of the arena. After releasing the red energy, Mike’s Poké Ball returned to Mike’s gloved hand. As a professional trainer of such skill, he could afford luxuries like the glove that magnetically attracted Poké Balls after being thrown.

In front of Jack materialized Guardia, standing just over three feet tall. He gripped his long bone weapon and crouched, glaring at the red light of Mike’s Pokémon.

On Mike’s side, the light formed into the graceful feline shape of Absol. The sun reflected off the snow-white mane as the ocean breeze tossed the fur around Absol’s face.

“Quick Attack!” Mike shouted, wasting no time. Before Jack could open his mouth, Absol disappeared for a split second before crashing head long into Guardia. The Marowak did not even have time to brace himself.

“Wow, a critical hit by Absol!” shouted Flint, who now decided to take the role of commentator. Absol bounded through the attack and wheeled back towards his trainer.

“Damn,” Jack muttered. “Guardia, shake it off, buddy! Try a Bonemerang!”

“Dodge and Psycho Cut!” Mike shouted.

Guardia raised the bone in his hand and threw it at an angle. It spun through the air, missing Absol completely. The feline sprung forward, moving like liquid through the air.

“Focus,” Jack growled. Guardia grunted and widened his stance, arms spread out as if to block Absol. Absol was only a few feet away when he leapt in the air and raised his head for the attack, simultaneously jumping over the bone that had arched back around towards Guardia.

Jack grinned. “Bone Rush!” Guardia lunged forward and grabbed the bone, just as he leapt into the air to meet Absol.

“Kumori!” Mike shouted, but there was nothing he could do. Absol was in midair and could not dodge this time.

With the bone raised over his head with both hands, Guardia swung down with all his strength. The bone collided with Absol’s head, sending him to the ground. Absol landed in the sand, dazed but still standing. Before he could move, Guardia attacked again. This time, Absol could dodge, but still only managed to move his head. The second strike collided with Absol’s shoulder, causing the Pokémon to stumble sideways. Guardia landed on his feet, catching himself with one hand. Raising the bone a third time, he dashed toward the staggered Absol.

“Detect!” Mike yelled. This time, Absol didn’t shy away. He raised his head in defiance. As Guardia swung the bone, Absol slashed with his head blade, catching the bone and flinging it out of Guardia’s hand. Guardia stumbled back as the bone landed in the sand several yards away.

“Guardia, look out!” Jack shouted, but again Absol was too fast, slamming directly into Guardia with a Quick Attack. Guardia fell flat on his back, jarred from the attack.
“Psycho Cut!” Mike yelled, and Absol’s head blade glowed white with energy. In a swift move, the blade slashed at the Marowak’s exposed stomach, leaving a large welt and a thin line of blood.

Guardia panted as he struggled to his feet, one paw clutching his wounded stomach. A wide grin broke across Mike’s face. “Finish him, Kumori!”

Jack glanced at Absol, who slowly advanced on Guardia. At that moment, he recognized his last option. Just as he opened his mouth to give the attack, Guardia looked over his shoulder and nodded, his eyes steely.

Absol pounced, and Guardia planted his feet in the sand. Right before contact, Guardia drove his fists forward at Absol’s face while lunging forward. The attack was Endeavor, and Absol had run directly in to it. Jack and Mike watched as that direct hit staggered Absol. The Pokémon landed on his side several feet away and shook with fatigue. Guardia had also been knocked back, but he landed on his chest. Jack surveyed the battle and realized that the next hit on either Pokémon would be enough. He noticed that Guardia was slowly crawling across the sand towards his bone, which lay about five yards away.

“Go Guardia,” he whispered, keeping an eye on Absol.

“Kumori, you’ve got this! Let’s go!” Mike called from the other side of the arena. Kumori managed to stand, but his legs were quivering and he could barely move. Each step towards Guardia seemed to exhaust him. The possibility of a Quick Attack was gone, but Jack realized that Absol was stumbling towards Guardia faster than Guardia was crawling to his bone.

It was a race, with each trainer unable to do anything but watch. The seconds passed, the only noise the gentle waves and the muffled crunch of each step in the sand.

At last, Guardia reached his bone and yanked it from the sand. Absol was bearing down, only a few steps away. Without even glancing back, Guardia slung the bone ahead of him at an angle, away from Absol. His energy spent, he slumped onto the sand and rolled on his back to face Absol. At last at his target, Kumori raised his head to deliver the final blow. Just as the blade reached its highest, Guardia swept his tail up, tossing sand at Absol’s face. The distraction was just enough to buy Guardia time, for at that moment the bone returned, passing over Guardia, who was sprawled out on the ground, and collided with Absol’s head. The bone bounced off and landed with a muffled thump in the sand. Absol let out a weak growl and his knees buckled. He collapsed into the sand, unable to fight anymore.

“Absol is unable to continue!” Flint shouted to the spectators. There was a scattered round of applause as Mike recalled Kumori to his Poké Ball.

Jack stared at Mike, his mouth slightly open. This is the Champion of the Hoenn League, he realized. His attention turned to Guardia, who propped himself up with his bone club.

“Great work, Guardia!” Jack said with a smile. Guardia glanced back and nodded, his breathing still labored. He only had a few moments to catch his breath. “Guardia, do you want to come back or keep fighting?”

<I’ll stay and do as much as I can,> Guardia grunted between breaths. His legs wobbled a bit.

“You’re almost out though,” Jack said.

<I can still fight, and I’ll be of little use coming back in later,> Guardia responded.
“Alright then. Keep it up.”

Across the field, Mike drew another Poké Ball. With a determined grin, he tossed it out towards Jack. The ball landed and popped open. The red light shot out and materialized in the center of the arena. The light faded to reveal a Weavile, standing just taller than Guardia. Jack felt a sudden pang in his chest as he thought of Grayson and Scar. Mike’s Weavile looked much younger. His black fur was finer and shined in the sun. His red head crest was deep crimson, and his face lacked the defining scar across the left eye.

“Ice Shard!” Mike directed, thrusting his hand at Guardia. Weavile raised his ivory claws and focused. A glowing blue ball of light formed, swirling with energy.

“Guardia, get ready,” Jack said, his eyes fixed on Weavile.

Weavile suddenly spun, thrusting a paw out at Guardia. A shard of ice shot from the ball of energy directly at Guardia, who barely managed to lift his bone to block the attack. Weavile continued the assault, throwing shard after shard at lightning speed. Guardia swung his club back and forth, shattering each shard before they could connect.

Jack felt pride wash over him at the sight of Guardia defiantly standing against Mike’s Pokémon. His happiness was short-lived however, as at that precise moment, Weavile sent an especially large chunk of ice at Guardia. The ice was nearly as large at Guardia, who threw all his strength into his swing, shattering the ice into hundreds of tiny crystals. As the crystals fell, Jack’s heart leapt into his throat as Weavile appeared, sprinting directly in front of Marowak. Without breaking stride, Weavile slammed a frosty Ice Punch directly into Guardia’s wounded stomach.

A muffled cry of pain escaped Guardia’s mouth as he tumbled backwards in the sand, unconscious.

“Guardia!” Jack cried, dismayed at the sight of Guardia’s limp form, lying in the sand with his limbs twisted at awkward angles. “Well done, buddy. Come on back,” Jack murmured, withdrawing Guardia into his Poké Ball.

“Marowak is unable to continue!” Flint called out, to which the audience responded with scattered applause. Mike grinned and nodded at Weavile, who smirked and nodded back as he returned to the middle of the arena.

“Alright, show me what you’ve got, Motor!” Jack released his Rotom into the arena. The red light from the Poké Ball formed an orange washing machine, glowing with blue plasma.
<Time to light this sucker up! Heeheehee!> Motor giggled, the plasma surrounding him rippling with his laughter.

“Let’s not waste any time, Motor. Let’s see a Thunder Wave!” Jack directed. Rotom leaned forward and shot a weak bolt of electricity at Weavile from the spike on top of his head. Weavile feinted to the left to dodge and started to run directly at Rotom.

“Night Slash!” Mike called, and Weavile jumped forward, his ivory claw raised and glinting in the sun.

“Discharge!” Jack interjected a few moments before contact. Motor began to vibrate and his plasma glimmered. Weavile struck, his claw glowing his dark energy. The strike was powerful, and Motor slammed into the ground, unable to keep levitating. However, his attack was ready, and as Weavile touched the sand, Motor exploded with crackling yellow electricity. Jack shielded his eyes from the light for a moment before it faded away. Weavile was crouched halfway across the arena, a good several meters away from Motor. Weavile’s fine black fur stood on end, but he betrayed no weakness.

Motor buzzed loudly and the orange washing machine began to spin its empty tub. “Calm down, Motor, we’ve got this,” Jack advised while analyzing the Weavile.

“Let’s get him again, Kurokage! Double Team!” Kurokage suddenly sprinted to his right, leaving several images of himself in his wake. After a moment, all of the Weaviles shot towards Motor.

Jack watched the sand and couldn’t see any sand being kicked up. “Quick, Hydro Pump the sand!”

Rotom vibrated even harder as his machine kicked into gear. He raised the hose connected to the machine and water surged forth, spewing out into the sand, soaking it while kicking up large wet clumps. The images dissipated and the real Weavile was revealed, stumbling in the muck.

Jack grinned. “Alright, now let’s get that Thunder Wave again.” Motor floated forward and shot out the jolt again. This time, Weavile was unable to dodge. The Thunder Wave connected and Weavile shook violently. He collapsed into the wet sand and convulsed. After several seconds, he seemed to regain his composure.

Jack chanced a glance at Mike, whose face was contorted into a frown. Jack grinned. With Weavile partially paralyzed, Motor had taken away his opponent’s greatest advantage.
“Let’s get him with another Discharge!” Jack said with a grin. Motor drifted forward and began to shimmer again. When he was close enough to the crippled Weavile, he glowed brightly and released the energy. The electricity flashed again and Jack shielded his eyes. He then lowered his hand, expecting to see Weavile defeated. Instead, Weavile was still on his feet. In one of his clawed hands was the hose connected to Motor’s washing machine.

“Revenge!” Mike growled. Kurokage, his fur frizzled and shoulders slumped, lifted his free claw and simultaneously wrenched Motor towards him while driving his claw into the center of Motor’s machine. The metal of the machine shrieked under the strain of the attack and crumpled inward. The glass door shattered and Motor cried out, his plasma pulsating in brightness. He withdrew, his original shape emerging from the orange washing machine. He floated back and fell to the ground, unconscious. He buzzed feebly before the plasma disappeared.

Jack was speechless. His gaze rose from Rotom and rested on Weavile, hunched over and breathing heavily. Kurokage grinned, his fine pointed teeth glinting in the sun. Then he slumped over and sprawled out in the sand, motionless.

Flint waited a few moments before announcing, “Both Pokémon are unable to continue! Trainers, please withdraw your Pokémon and prepare your next choice!”

Jack and Mike both withdrew their Pokémon in flashes of red light. Jack returned the Poké Ball to his chain and looked down. He had Static and Sceadon left. He looked up at Mike, who held a black and yellow Ultra Ball in his hand. Jack instinctively reached for the Luxury Ball, but hesitated. Allowing himself a small grin, he slid his hand down to the next Poké Ball. He pulled it off the chain and raised it out in front of his chest.

“Resume!” Flint called, throwing his hand down to restart the battle.

Both Pokémon were released in flashes of red light. On Jack’s side, Sceadon appeared, stretching out his leathery, wine-red wings and whipping up the sand as he beat them up and down. He let out a loud roar that echoed off the cliffs and down the beach. On the other side, the light formed the massive bulk of Salamence. The dragon dug his thick legs into the sand and glared at Sceadon. He let out a growl as he flexed his wings.

“You ready buddy?” Jack asked, the shadow of a grin playing on his lips. Sceadon twisted his long neck and looked at Jack with his deep blue eyes.

<Without a doubt, Jack-sama,> he spoke in his deep, throaty voice. Jack found the change in voice very odd. Sceadon’s tone was low, but his eyes still held the innocence of his youth. With a slight nod, Sceadon turned back to face his opponent.

“Let’s take it to the sky!” Mike shouted. Easoshi spread his wings and sprung up into the air. With a few powerful beats of his wings he was far above the arena, circling Sceadon.

“Let’s get it, Sceadon!” The Charizard lunged into the air, pumping his crimson wings and slowly climbing towards Easoshi.

“Dragon Dance, Easoshi!” Mike yelled upwards with his hands cupped around his mouth. The Salamence began to spin and twist in the air, glowing with a pulsating red energy.

“Speed up and Flare Blitz!” Jack called up to Sceadon. Without hesitating, Sceadon accelerated and let loose a stream of flame that blew back to cloak his body. He rotated in his ascent, and then with a burst of speed and a loud bellow, he collided with Easoshi. The impact sent wisps of flame into the air as the two dragons locked forelegs and kicked at each other’s underbellies. They began to plummet to the ground, faster and faster, until Salamence pushed off and whipped his tail around, catching Sceadon in the jaw. Sceadon growled and tumbled down as Easoshi pulled out of the dive. Jack opened his mouth to shout, but Sceadon found his bearings just in time, flaring his wings and swooping out of the fall, his hind legs sweeping the sand before he pulled up.

Jack realized that Sceadon was at a disadvantage as long as Salamence was higher, so he yelled to Sceadon, “Don’t go straight at him! Get him at an angle!”

“Dragon Dance again,” Mike called to Salamence, who resumed his odd writhing in the sky.
Jack shook his head. This was not going to get any better.

“Try to burn him with Heat Wave!” Instead of flying directly toward Salamence, Sceadon flew at an angle away from his opponent. Within seconds, he was at the same altitude. Climbing a little higher, he arched upwards and twisted, now facing his opponent directly. Opening his mouth, Sceadon expelled a wave of shimmering hot air that roared forward. Salamence finished his dance and dropped, almost instantly. He tucked his wings and pointed downward. The speed of the dive astounded Jack. In a moment, Salamence pulled out of the dive and climbed into the air again, aimed directly at Sceadon.

“Dragon Rush!” Mike said, and Salamence slammed into Sceadon a second after Mike gave the direction, as if he could read his trainer’s mind.

In that moment, as Jack saw the speed and power of Easoshi’s attack on Sceadon, he knew that there was a significant gap between Mike and himself. Their strategy might be close, but Mike had the advantage of sharing hundreds of battles with his Pokémon. Jack thought of Static and knew there was that connection, but Sceadon was still relatively new, and hadn’t seen many official battles.

The impact of Easoshi’s attack jarred Sceadon and knocked the wind out of him. He gasped for breath as he spun downwards to the beach. With a roar, he spread his wings, breaking his fall, but wasn’t able to pull up in time. He landed on his hind legs but fell forward onto his forelegs. Turning his head to the sky, he saw the hard grey underbelly of Salamence circling above. Sceadon snorted, smoke billowing from his nostrils.

<I won’t be beaten this easily,> he growled. Spreading his wings a third time, he began the ascent again.

Mike waved his hand at Easoshi and twisted his hands in some kind of signal. Jack watched for a moment before directing his attention back to the Pokémon. Sceadon was climbing higher, but Easoshi was preparing for an attack. With a deep roar, Salamence trust his head at Sceadon. Three faint lights appeared in the distant sky. They grew closer and louder, starting at a faint whistle and growing into a howl.

“Sceadon, move!” Jack shouted suddenly. His attention was glued to the meteors glowing and crackling with blue energy. Sceadon noticed just in time and swerved sharply to the right. The massive rocks blasted past him. One meteor passed within a few feet and the energy buffeted Sceadon, throwing him off course. The glowing space rocks crashed into the beach, throwing sand in every direction. Jack threw up his arm to guard his face just in time.

“Damn, Draco Meteor,” he muttered, looking back up at Sceadon. “No!” he shouted, but it was too late. Salamence collided with Sceadon again with another Dragon Rush. Sceadon was more prepared and managed to roll out of it, but still dropped a few dozen meters in the air.

“Sceadon, come down!” Jack called. Sceadon obeyed, angling his descent towards his trainer. He landed lightly this time a few yards away.

<Yes Jack-sama?> Sceadon breathed heavily, his shoulders slumped forward.

“He has the advantage in the skies because he’s been flying longer than you. He has the better position and more speed, so we can’t keep going to him. Bring him down lower so he can’t strike as hard.”

<Of c—look out!> Sceadon scrambled backwards just in time to dodge Easoshi, who smashed into the beach. Jack stumbled backwards and fell into the sand. Sceadon took advantage of the closeness of Easoshi and lunged forward, hand glowing his blue-violet energy. He swiped at Salamence and caught his left foreleg. Easoshi growled and spun around, lashing out with his thick tail. Sceadon was ready this time and evaded it by pumping his wings and jumping back. He retaliated with a stream of flame from his maw. The flames licked Salamence’s azure scales, and he roared in pain. Tossing his head, he bounded towards Sceadon and loosed the blue-violet energy around his body. He crashed into Sceadon, who tumbled backwards before finding his feet. Hunched over, Sceadon glared at Salamence.

“Smokescreen!” Jack yelled, pushing himself back to his feet. Sceadon loosed a billowing black cloud of thick smoke, enveloping both dragons. Salamence beat his wings to clear the air, but Sceadon kept up a continuous stream. Easoshi seemed confused and unable to find the black Charizard in the smoke.

“Haha, nice work. Now, Inferno!” Within the smoke a faint glow appeared, and the roar of Salamence sounded. Soon, the cloud of smoke dissipated, revealing Sceadon, who was releasing a thick stream of fire from his mouth and fanning it with his wings. The flames swirled around Salamence, who thrashed back and forth, trying to escape the attack. Finally, with a strangled noise that sounded like a roar and a cry, he barreled headlong into the stream of flame and collided with Sceadon. The tackle hit directly into Sceadon’s stomach and drove him up and then down into the sand. His breath gave out and the flames stopped. Easoshi stood over the Charizard, who lay sprawled out in the sand. Sceadon’s chest rose and fell sporadically.

Bellowing his victory, Easoshi bared his teeth and buried them into Sceadon’s hide where his neck connected with his shoulder. A bone-chilling shriek escaped Sceadon’s maw as he thrashed feebly underneath the weight of Salamence. After a few seconds of struggling, Sceadon lay still. With a snort, Salamence released his bite and launched himself off of Sceadon, landing several yards away in the sand near his trainer.

“Sceadon . . .” Jack muttered, sprinting forward to his Pokémon’s side. He fell to his knees and felt the wound on Sceadon’s neck. It wasn’t serious, but would certainly leave a scar. Hot, dark blood seeped from the deep holes left by Salamence’s teeth. Jack put his hand on Sceadon’s chest and felt the slow and steady breathing. With a sigh, Jack stood up. “Well fought, Sceadon. Well fought.” Removing the Poké Ball from his belt, he returned Sceadon to peace and safety within the device.

Jack eyed Mike and Salamence carefully. Mike looked somber but determined. No doubt he hadn’t seen such a violent fight in some time. Salamence, on the other hand, looked weary. His stance was not as stable and his scales looked singed. Sceadon had succeeded in burning him, and that was exactly what Jack needed.

“Sceadon is unable to continue!” Flint called, a bit late on the announcement. Jack turned to the crowd as he heard a noticeable increase in applause this time. A smile chanced across his face. Sceadon had given them a show worth watching. But as he strode back to his position at the edge of the field, he fingered the ornately decorated Luxury Ball and smiled even wider. If they enjoyed that show, they were going to love the final act.

As he reached his position, Jack pivoted and faced his opponent. Raising the Luxury Ball, he spoke quietly, “This is it, Static. Time to end it.” Extending his hand, he released Static.

As Static materialized, he punched his palm and crackled with electricity. The yellow electricity sparked and popped in his coarse yellow fur, making it stand on end and look like thousands of sharp, yellow needles. Blue electricity jumped between his two prongs atop his head.

“Get close with Quick Attack. Then, you know what to do,” Jack muttered. Sweeping his hair from his eyes, he watched Easoshi dig his legs into the sand. “Go!”

Static sprung forward, sprinting as fast as he could, pumping his massive arms and thrashing his tails. Salamence sprung upward to escape into the sky, but Static was too quick. He leapt into the air and grasped Salamence’s tail in one of his hands. Keeping his momentum, Static swung forward and dragged Easoshi from the air. The Salamence thrashed his limbs, but to no avail. He was at the mercy of the Electivire. With a cry, Static landed on the ground and slammed Easoshi into the beach, flat on his back. The dragon roared in pain, but Static gave no quarter and jumped onto Easoshi’s belly.

<Just returning the favor,> Static growled, and then jabbed his two tails into the sides of the Salamence. Tens of thousands of volts surged into the dragon, who twisted and writhed with pain. Several seconds later, Static relented, lifting his tails and leaning forward, grasping the exposed neck of Easoshi with his powerful hand. Easoshi stared directly into Static’s glowing red eyes. He growled a challenge, and Static raised his free fist. It glinted in the sun as frosty air swirled around it.

<AHHH!> Static yelled, driving his fist downward into the stomach of Easoshi. Salamence spewed out a strangled roar and lay still. Adrenaline pumped through Static, who was visibly shaking. After a few seconds, he stood up and surged with electricity again, throwing his head back. Having celebrated his victory, he backed away from the limp Salamence and pointed a thick black finger at Mike. A grin broke on Static’s face.

<Come get some,> he taunted.

“Salamence is defeated! Mike has one Pokémon remaining!” Flint said. A wide grin spread across his face. He seemed immensely happy. The crowd applauded as loud as they had for Sceadon.

Jack felt a warm feeling well up inside, and any trace of Konpaku vanished, just for the moment. He gasped at the sudden freedom. Looking up at Static, he saw the Electivire give him thumbs up. Jack felt his stomach do a back flip, and thought, we can win this.

Across the field, Mike withdrew Easoshi into his Ultra Ball and returned it to his belt. His hand settled on the last ball and he lifted it to eye level. The ball was a simple red and white Poké Ball, but it was worn and scratched. With a smile, he looked up at the hulking form of Static. If there was one Pokémon he could count on, this one was it.

“Let’s go, Jukain.” He tossed the ball out into the arena. It hit the sand and popped open, releasing the red energy it contained. The ball closed and retracted to Mike’s open and gloved hand. The light faded, having taken the form of Sceptile, the large, lithe, green reptile.

<Not a problem,> Static growled, crouching into a ready stance.

“Careful, Static. This is Mike’s first Pokémon.” Jack watched as Mike widened his stance, ready for the final act. Simultaneously, the Sceptile moved into the same position without a backwards glance. The reptile’s eyes glinted. And then, he was gone.

A sudden cry from Static drew Jack’s attention. Static stumbled back and clutched a long, thin welt on his stomach. Sceptile stood behind him, his thin arm with its leaf blades raised.
“He’s fast,” Jack stated, taken aback. “Alright Static, go time!” he said, shaking himself out of shock.

Sceptile turned and sprinted to Static, who let out a roar and swung his fist around, leaving a stream of flame. Sceptile dodged the attack with ease, but ran past Static to avoid the fire. Static turned to keep his front to the enemy.

<You wanna dance!> he shouted. He loosed a blast of electricity, which struck Jukain in the back. Sceptile stumbled and turned back to face Static. <Haha, get some!> Static taunted.

“He’s coming,” Jack murmured, just loud enough for Static to hear. Jukain charged forward, feinting left and right to avoid being targeted. Static crouched and spread his arms as if to block Jukain. When the Sceptile was right in front of him, Static smashed his hands together and discharged his built up electricity. The attack connected with Sceptile, who continued with the Leaf Blade as if the attack didn’t hurt at all. Static stumbled back and growled.
He wheeled around and hurled a ball of blue electricity at Jukain, who ducked just in time. Static thrust his hands forward, casting bolt after bolt, but Jukain continued to feint left and right, dodging each attack.

<Damn it!> Static yelled. He sprinted forward, kicking up clods of sand as he ran. Jukain stopped and faced the approaching threat. Instead of attacking, Static sprung upwards, arching over Jukain, who swerved to keep facing Static. The Electivire landed and swung an Ice Punch haymaker at Jukain, who leaned back to avoid the hit. Sceptile then struck out, swiping at Static’s stomach. Static took the hit in stride and swung with the other fist. Jukain dodged again and struck out a second time, but Static’s other hand was waiting. Jukain’s hand was crushed in Static’s grip.

<Fool me once,> Static said with a grin. With his free hand, he swung it back, connecting the backhand Ice Punch with Jukain’s head. The Sceptile hissed and slipped from Static’s hand. He stumbled back before regaining his composure.

<Nice try,> the Sceptile muttered, glaring at Static with yellow eyes.

<Face me like a real fighter,> Static said, glaring at Jukain. He opened both his hands, fire in one and ice in the other.

<Have it your way then,> Jukain answered. The two lunged at each other. They traded blows, though Sceptile, being a slimmer target, managed to dodge most of Static’s attacks. Fire Punch and Ice Punch flurried around Sceptile, who stuck with Leaf Blade and X-Scissor. Static took hit after hit without flinching. Several seconds passed as the two dueled.
Then, abruptly, Static fell forward and flattened himself on the sand. With his two tails raised, he sent a weak current of electricity at Jukain. The move caught him off guard and stunned him. The electricity racked his body with pain as he struggled to move.

<Gotcha,> Static whispered. He stood up and slammed his fists together. Orange and yellow wisps of energy swirled and spiraled around his body. Planting one foot forward, he raised a fist and drove it into Jukain with all his strength. As he made contact, both Static and Jack shouted in unison.

“GIGA IMPACT!”

Sceptile was launched into the air. The attack had such force that Jukain smashed into the cliff face beyond the arena. He tumbled to the ground and landed in a cloud of dust. Jack couldn’t believe it. Could Static have won?

The dust cleared, revealing Jukain, who was still on one knee, his arms raised and crossed in front of him for defense.

“What . . .” Jack murmured, staring at the Sceptile in disbelief.

“Detect,” Mike explained from the other side of the arena. Jack stared wide-eyed at Mike, and then Jukain again. The audience was silent, leaving the nothing but the sound of the white caps breaking against the beach and the salty sea breeze in their ears.

<No . . .> Static groaned. He fell to his knees, his entire body shaking with fatigue.

“Leaf Storm, Jukain.” Mike’s direction was clear and steady. Jukain stood up slowly and extended his arms. Hundreds of leaves burst from his arm blades and his tail, swirling around him like a cyclone. Then, they shot to Static and engulfed him. They spun around him like a tornado, slicing his skin and draining his strength. The leaves slowly began to fall as the attack subsided. Static’s form remained kneeling and slumped. Several seconds passed without movement. Jukain crept forward, back into the arena without taking his eyes off of Static.

“Well, Static is—wha . . . ?” Flint said, gazing at Static’s hulking figure. Using his arms for support, Static pushed himself to his feet. Lifting his head, he swayed and almost fell over, but he caught his balance.

<This isn’t over,> Static said between gasps. <Come and finish it.>

Planting his feet in the sand, he held both muscular arms in front of him, aimed at Jukain. Electricity danced between his open hands.

“Static,” Jack mumbled.

Jukain nodded and smiled faintly. He held his own hands in front of him and the yellow orbs on his back began to glow. The two stood opposite each other, charging up their final attacks.

With a shout, Static released the built-up electricity from his hands in a stream of snapping white light. At the same time, Jukain glowed with a bright white light and fired a beam of solar energy from his mouth. The Solar Beam collided with the Thunder, and a great explosion ripped through the air. The pressure knocked Jack and Mike off their feet. Jack landed on his side in the sand several feet from where he had been standing. A great cloud of dust and smoke wafted up from where the two attacks had met. Jack coughed and squinted his eyes, trying to see through the dust.

He saw two silhouettes standing in the cloud, one thin, one bulky. Several moments passed before the larger form’s knees buckled. Static dropped forward and collapsed face first in the sand. Jukain shuddered, but maintained his stance.

The dust finally cleared, and Flint stepped forward to analyze the aftermath. The crowd held it’s collective breath, waiting for the call. Flint looked first at Mike, and then at Jack. They met eyes, and Flint nodded with a smile. Then directing his attention to the audience, he gave the call.

“Static is unable to fight. Jack is out of usable Pokémon. The winner is Mike!”

A roar unlike any other erupted from the few dozen viewers as they stood and applauded. Jack breathed deeply. It was over. He turned to Static and approached him, kneeling by his side. The massive bulk of the Electivire moved in a steady rhythm of shallow breathing. Dozens of minor to moderate lacerations covered Static’s body from the Leaf Storm, but otherwise he was in one piece. Jack placed his right hand on Static’s back and leaned forward, resting his forehead on Static’s shaggy shoulder. Jack closed his eyes and let out a choked sigh and a single tear.

“You’ve made me proud, Static.”

With a smile, Jack stood back up and returned Static to his Luxury Ball and turned to the crowd. They were laughing and congratulating him, slapping him on the back and shaking his hand. Jack expressed his thanks as best as he could.

“Jack.” Jack turned to the voice and saw Mike, a silly grin spread across his face.

“Mike.” Jack looked directly into his emerald eyes.

With a chuckle, Mike pulled Jack into an embrace. Jack returned it and started to laugh. They slapped each other on the back before stepping apart. Jack ran a hand through his hair and shook his head.

“Jack,” Mike said. “Thank you.” Jack cocked his head to the side and looked his friend in the eyes.

“Thank you, Jack, for the absolute best battle of my life.”

Jack smiled wider. “No, thank you.”

The crowd broke into another round of applause and started chanting, “Jack and Mike! Jack and Mike!”

Jack felt his chin start to quiver and blinked away the film of tears in his eyes. Dragging his shaking hand through the thick mess of brown hair on his head, he caught the eye of Volkner. A single crystalline tear clung to the edge of his brilliant blue eyes as he smiled and inclined his head. “Well done, little brother.”

Jack wiped his eyes on the back of his hand and smiled back. He then closed his eyes and lifted his face to the sun. He breathed in the salty air and felt the breeze and warm sun on his face. The sound of his friends and the breaking waves surrounded him. Opening his eyes, he gazed up into the cloudless aquamarine sky.

Yes, he thought to himself.

This is something worth fighting for.


END


;466;
 
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Pkmn Breeder Jack

Static owns you.
Author’s Note

To my readers, old and new,

I must first thank you for all the support you’ve given over the past five years. I am still amazed today that the incoherent ramblings of a fifteen year old kid were received with as much love and dedication as you have given. I could not ask for better readers.

Second, I have good and bad news. The bad news: I will not be finishing the series quite yet. I’ve been thinking long and hard about this one, and I’ve decided that I haven’t done the story justice and to continue from this point would be a waste of time. I’ve also decided that this story has been too much a part of my life these past five years to just set aside to die. So here’s the good news: I’ve recently had a new spark of passion to complete this story, and do it right. Over the past couple weeks, I’ve finished Chapter 20 and then spent a lot of time revising the notes and plotline of the story. When I started this back in the summer of 2007, I didn’t know what was going to happen after the first few chapters. Now, I’ve made things clear to myself and I know exactly where I’m going. Thus, I’m going to revise all of my chapters thus far in preparation for the final ten that will conclude the story. From now until the end of the summer, around August of this year, I will be revising the first 20 chapters and writing the last ten. Then, when I return to university for the fall semester, this August, I will be rereleasing the chapters every week, with the intention of ending the entire thirty chapters by the end of the year. There will be a few chapters released together to condense the schedule to make it on time. Rest assured, the revision is already in process and the final ten chapters are already sketched out. I apologize for prolonging this story, but I want to finish it, and I want to finish it right.

As for this thread, it will stay open for a few weeks to a month before getting placed in the Completed Fics section. I’ll likely disappear from the forums until August, when I will rerelease the series for it’s final run. I thank you for your commitment and readership. Know that were it not for you, this story would have died a long, long time ago.

Thank you,

Jack ;466;

PS: If you wish to remain on the contact list for the rerelease, just let me know and I'll be sure to notify you.
 
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shadow wolf

The one and only!
Great chapter, I was surprised to actually see an update.

As for the chapter.
I really did enjoy the battle it was fluid and fast-paced, the description was good as I could vividly imagine the battle happening before my eyes. I forgot you don't sugarcoat injuries and the like. The outcome may have been a little predictable, by which no means is bad. I enjoyed this chapter, and can't wait to read the rest.

I apoligize for this being short, can't really think of way to help you improve. So with that, I have enjoyed this series this far and most likely will continue too. It will be intresting to see what your rereleases entail (how you have changed your tastes over the years, and will make it better or more concise), and how this story goes on and then ends.

Glad to see you have your passion for your story once again, I know what that feels like. I should go back to writing my story again, it has been a while.

Also, I would like to be on the rerealease contact list.

Peace, shadow wolf :571:
 

Air Dragon

Ha, ha... not.
The chapter was utterly amazing, mate! And while it's a shame to see this get archived, I can understand the overworked bit, especially schoolwise. (Gives shifty glance to reports)

There was one slip-up in the chapter, though... other than the chance I've forgotten where he got a Rotom from. :p

“Careful, Sceadon. This is Mike’s first Pokémon.” Jack watched as Mike widened his stance, ready for the final act. Simultaneously, the Sceptile moved into the same position without a backwards glance. The reptile’s eyes glinted. And then, he was gone.

I think you mean Static.

Well, all the best with future plans and it's now August I eagerly await!

L@er!
 

Zadros

Incorrigible slacker
Bam.

I've really loved this, since being the lucky 7th unique poster =P It's been a great journey so far and I can't wait for the rewrite. To spend so long working on this world of your own is an amazing thing, and wishing you the best for finishing it off. Although, gotta say, I was hoping there'd be more in the chapter than the battle. You described it well and made it pretty realistic, although I probably wouldn't have expected Jack to do as well against Mike as he did. Some dramatic flair in there, which was good =)
 

Pkmn Breeder Jack

Static owns you.
Bam.

I've really loved this, since being the lucky 7th unique poster =P It's been a great journey so far and I can't wait for the rewrite. To spend so long working on this world of your own is an amazing thing, and wishing you the best for finishing it off. Although, gotta say, I was hoping there'd be more in the chapter than the battle. You described it well and made it pretty realistic, although I probably wouldn't have expected Jack to do as well against Mike as he did. Some dramatic flair in there, which was good =)

I tried to not make Jack feel too advantaged, but it is important to know that Jack has had Static longer than Mike has had any of his own Pokémon (though Mike got Treecko shortly after Jack received Static). I really wanted to impress that though Mike has had more battle experience, Jack and Static share a bond that's as strong as any that Mike has with his own Pokémon, allowing Jack and Static to hold their own.

As for the chapter.
I really did enjoy the battle it was fluid and fast-paced, the description was good as I could vividly imagine the battle happening before my eyes. I forgot you don't sugarcoat injuries and the like. The outcome may have been a little predictable, by which no means is bad. I enjoyed this chapter, and can't wait to read the rest.

I apoligize for this being short, can't really think of way to help you improve. So with that, I have enjoyed this series this far and most likely will continue too. It will be intresting to see what your rereleases entail (how you have changed your tastes over the years, and will make it better or more concise), and how this story goes on and then ends.

I know the battle was a bit predictable, but I couldn't really have Mike lose. You may have noticed the chapter was titled Revival. My goal was to do a tribute battle to the old times, when Pokémon was about friends battling for fun to test their skills. It's a bit different from the rest of my story with all the twists and turns, which I hope was a nice change of pace.

Thanks for all the reviews everyone, I really appreciate you still caring after all this time.


Jack ;466;
 
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